Players looking for a polished yet straightforward virtual baccarat game should take a look at the standard variation developed by Playtech. Called simply Baccarat, the game features beautiful graphics, a simple layout, and stakes ranging from €1 to €100 per round.
This version of the all-time casino classic was designed in a compact, minimalistic manner, with the rules and bet limits displayed on separate screens rather than on the main one. The gameplay is fast-paced, smooth, and easy to follow, while the sounds are simple and non-intrusive. The rules and types of bets are described in the following sections.
Rules and Gameplay
This is a fairly standard game of virtual baccarat in which the rounds are quicker, and players have instant access to the payouts, rules, and other information. The game is played with six decks of 52 cards (excluding Jokers), and players must predict which of the two hands presented will have the greater value. They can bet on Player, Banker, or Tie – payouts for these wagers are the same as in nearly all versions of baccarat.
- Player – 1:1
- Banker – 0.95:1
- Tie – 8:1
Overall, the game follows the rules of classic baccarat, including the Third Card Rule for both Player and Banker hands. The Player, for instance, is required to draw a third card if the hand totals 5 or less, while on 6 or 7, the hand stands.
Distinctive Features
In addition to the regular betting options, Playtech’s Baccarat includes several side bets. The first optional wagers are the Player Pair and the Banker Pair; with these, players bet that the respective hand will consist of two cards of the same value (not necessarily of the same suit). Players who accurately predict such an outcome and place their chips accordingly receive a payout of 11:1.
There are two other types of pair side bets – Either Pair, which wins with any kind of pair in either hand, and the Perfect Pair, which wins if the Player or the Banker has two identical cards, i.e., cards of the same value and suit. With the Big and Small side bets, players wager on the total number of cards dealt at the end of the round – Small (4) or Big (5 or 6). These are the payouts for each bet in the game, along with the theoretical Return-to-Player percentage (RTP):
- Banker – 0.95:1, 98.94%
- Player – 1:1, 98.76%
- Tie – 8:1, 85.56%
- Player/Banker Pair – 11:1, 88.75%
- Perfect Pair – 25:1, 82.93%
- Either Pair – 5:1, 85.46%
- Big – 0.54:1, 95.65%
- Small – 1.5:1, 94.73%
Conclusion
Overall, Baccarat by Playtech is a simple, fast-paced game, and it offers a relatively low house edge of 1.06% on the favorable Banker bet.